NFL Fines Broncos, Coach $50,000 Each for Taping 49ers Practice

Nov. 27 (Bloomberg) -- The National Football League fined
the Denver Broncos and coach Josh McDaniels $50,000 each because
the team’s video director filmed a San Francisco 49ers practice
in London last month.

Steve Scarnecchia taped a six-minute portion of the 49ers’
practice at Wembley Stadium on Oct. 30, the day before San
Francisco’s 24-16 victory over Denver, the league said in a
statement. Scarnecchia then presented the video to McDaniels,
who declined to view it.

McDaniels was fined for failing to report the incident, as
required by NFL policy. The Broncos have fired Scarnecchia.

“I apologize for not promptly reporting the improper
conduct of our video director,” McDaniels said in a statement
released by the Broncos. “The actions of this individual are in
no way representative of the values and integrity held by
myself, our players and coaches, and the entire Denver Broncos
organization.”

The Broncos also were fined because they are responsible
for the actions of their employees, the league said.

“The Denver Broncos and I, as the owner, believe in the
integrity of the National Football League and fair competition
and do not, in any way, condone this type of behavior,” Broncos
owner Pat Bowlen said in a statement. “The fact that an
employee of the Denver Broncos would take such action is
personally disappointing to me. I apologize to all affected by
this incident.”

Both Scarnecchia and McDaniels previously worked for the
New England Patriots, who videotaped New York Jets coaches
during a game in 2007. The league doesn’t allow such videotaping
and fined the Patriots and coach Bill Belichick a total of
$750,000 and took away the team’s first-round draft pick in
2008.

The Broncos are last in the American Football Conference’s
Western Division with a 3-7 record this season. Denver hosts the
St. Louis Rams tomorrow.